Out to lunch

You’ll probably notice that Jan and I don’t go out to dinner much, preferring to spend most of our evenings at home. But that doesn’t mean we never go out. What we really like is going to lunch, because for some reason, it just feels fun to us to be out and about in the middle of the day.

We especially enjoy trying out lunch specials because they’re the perfect way to sample a bunch of different dishes. At Chinese restaurants, this usually means ordering the “Imperial Special,” and running out of room at the table after pot stickers, soup, salad, chow mein, sizzling beef, sweet and sour shrimp, etc. While I enjoy the food, I find myself feeling overwhelmed and overly stuffed.

Lunch at Wassabi in Fig Garden Village is the perfect balance of lots to try, in the right amount. We were happy to take advantage of the $10 lunch special on Saturday (offered everyday except Sunday, when the restaurant is not open for lunch). There are several options for the special including bento boxes and sushi combinations.

Soup, then salad

I got the box and picked tempura and California roll for my two options. In addition to the items I chose, the lunch came with miso soup, salad, rice, and a Diet Coke (beverage options included in the lunch special are soft drinks or draft beer). Jan chose the sashimi, which also included miso soup, and of course he chose an Asahi beer to go with his meal.

It's obscured by the orchid here, but the sashimi looked beautiful and bright

The service was prompt and friendly, though we took our time as we were the only diners out on the patio that day. I preferred this calm atmosphere to Wassabi’s other location on Herndon and First, but perhaps I’m too old to appreciate sushi chefs in costumes and wigs. With lots of dishes on our plates to sample, everybody was happy.

3 comments

I used to be afraid of sushi too, but I started with rolls that had cooked fish in them. Now, I’m up to rolls that include some raw fish, but I don’t think I’ll progress much further than that. I’ve tried sashimi and nigiri, but that’s just too much raw fish in one bite for me!

I often go to Wassabi on Herndon and First for lunch, since my friend Machelle works at the Atrium and it’s easy to meet up there. The food is always good, but I agree it can be pretty noisy and kitschy. One time we were there the waitresses were dressed as teenage mutant ninja turtles. Fun times!